Travis frontman Fran Healy had kind words for some big-name Australia and New Zealand bands in a new interview. 

Speaking with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the Scottish rock band’s lead vocalist revealed that INXS “were massive to us.”

He also told a story about an unexpected collaboration with Crowded House’s Neil Finn.

“My claim to fame is that I was at some party here [LA], maybe a couple of years ago, I was invited by the woman in the Bangles, Susanna Hoffs [she provided vocals on Travis’ 10 Songs album]… She’s like, ‘I’m having a party, come on over,’ and I’m like, ‘Okay.’

“And I don’t really do those types of things, but she’s kind of low-key anyway, I thought, but [there] was like a lot of quite famous people at it, and Neil [Finn] from Crowded House was there, he got us up to sing backing vocals to [Crowded House song] ‘Weather with You’. And it was mad, it’s one of those moments that I was sitting beside him going, ‘I can’t believe this is happening, this is fucking cool,'” Healy revealed.

“[H]e was lovely and his songwriting is tremendous. I thought, ‘God, I don’t know that song.’ As soon as he started singing it, I knew all the BVs [backing vocals] and everything. And it was great,” he added.

Away from Australia, Healy also told Rolling Stone AU/NZ about his connection with Travis’ former touring mates Oasis, who will complete the Australian leg of their reunion tour in Sydney this week.

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“I met Noel [Gallagher] in New York and I met the rest of them in New York as well. I didn’t see Bonehead until they played in LA a few days later,” Healy recalled, adding that they feel “no pressure.”

“Like, of course not. I mean, there is no better position to be in than a band who has, like, 18 massive songs or 20 massive songs. And they could literally do it with their hands tied behind their back… It’s like being on the best holiday ever. And they’ve got their families on the road, and they’re just having a ball.”

In January, Travis will tour Australia for the first time since a sold-out run in 2001.

The BRIT Award-winning band are touring to celebrate their classic album, The Man Who, which was well-received in Australia, reaching platinum status and selling over 110,000 copies.

At their upcoming shows in Fremantle, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and Brisbane, Travis will perform The Man Who in full alongside other fan favourites from their lengthy career.

Read the full interview with Healy here.

Travis 2026 Australian Tour

Ticket information available via livenation.com.au

Thursday, January 8th
Metropolis, Fremantle, WA

Saturday, January 10th (All Ages)
Festival Hall, Melbourne, VIC

Monday, January 12th (All Ages)
Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, SA

Wednesday, January 14th (All Ages)
ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney, NSW

Friday, January 16th (All Ages)
Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD